Not Only Does Time Die
by WickedElphaba
Summary: Post RENT (just a little while later). With Mimi sick, will the gang be able to handle it? But mainly, can Roger handle it? Rating is for later chapters.
1. Soon To Be

Hello! I am so so so sorry I haven't posted in a while. My computer(s) [all the computers in the house forged an alliance created a war against the organic beings in the house] went crazy and you can't create documents at the library which is where I was reading/reviewing from. I saw RENT and it was AMAZING!! Wow. So, I am now going to also write fanfics concerning RENT. ENJOY!!

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**Not Only Does Time Die**

The musician crashed on the couch. His head felt as if it had its own heartbeat, it was throbbing so much. He had pretty much carried his girlfriend, Mimi, from the loft to the doctor's and back. He felt so physically and mentally drained he couldn't do anymore than sit in silent agony.

He heard a knock at the door. Roger didn't move. If it was important they would continue to knock. If it was one of his friends they'd probably pull out a key or screech for him from behind the door.

After a little jingling of keys and cursing, Mark walked through the doorway carrying a tape and -his trademark- a camera.

"Hey Rog! Remember New Years when I thought I had no juice in my battery?" the filmmaker asked his roommate.

"Yeah," Roger answered from the sofa, massaging his temples.

"Well, I was wrong. Only by a bit though!" Mark said, trying to make sure he wasn't mocked in future by admitting he was actually wrong, "But I did capture a moment. Here I'll show you."

After a few minutes of Mark messing with the projector, he got the new-found footage to play.

"Let's always stay friends!" flashed across the screen. Mark quickly paused the picture of everyone-excluding the filmmaker. It was a crooked shot of Roger and Mimi fighting, but you could see everyone as clear as if Mark had purposely filmed it.

"That's all I got, but I thought you might just want to see everyone, including the one that's no longer here,"

Mark pointed out angel.

"Soon to be two,"

"What are you talking about?"

"Mimi,"

Mark's jaw dropped.

"I thought she was doing better!"

"Well, the doctor wasn't thinking that," replied Roger.

Mark stood completely stupefied at his friend's words. He had no idea how he should respond. If he brushed it off, his friend would become angrier than ever. If he made a big deal, his friend would push away from him. Doing nothing didn't seem like a good option either.

"Mimi," said Mark softly. He wasn't exactly bawling at her death. He never really clicked with her. There was just never a time for them to really get to know each other. Right now Mark was worried about his friend. Mimi was a key piece to the puzzle. If she fell, Roger fell. If Roger fell, Mark would too. If Mimi fell, everyone else would slowly deteriorate.

"I-I'm going back out," Mark stammered. He decided all he could do was avoid.

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Hope you liked that. REVIEW!!!!!...please?


	2. Reaction Time

Hello again! Welcome to the second chapter! I'm glad that you liked the first one enough to read more.  
I'm sorry my chapters are a bit short. That is something I am aiming to improve on.  
Disclaimer: I don't own any bit of the RENT characters. I do own a very good "Moooo!" though. When Maureen told the audience to moo, I was loud and proud!

Moooooooooo!

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"C'mon in," Collins shouted to the door in his baritone voice.

Mark hopped inside Collins' small apartment to find that he wasn't the only visitor. Maureen and Joanne were sitting on a beat-up sofa. Their happy expressions contrasted all the thoughts zooming around in Mark's head massively.

"Hi Marky!" Maureen grinned to her ex.

"Hey," replied Mark distantly, crashing on a chair. It crunched at the amount of force suddenly applied as would the chairs in the loft.

"Easy on the chairs man. I think the Food Emporium is starting to suspect something," Collins said with a laugh. It had been a couple months since he'd rewired that ATM. It was only a matter of time before they figured out the "glitch".

"I think something's wrong! He didn't say anything when I called him Marky!" exclaimed Maureen who immediately got up and felt his forehead with the back of her hand.

"Mark, what's wrong?" asked Joanne, concerned. She could tell that it was something mental, not physical.

"Well, I don't know how to say this. Um...Mimi is...dying."

There was dead silence for a few moments. The only noise to be heard as the news soaked in was a couple of horns beeping down the street. Everyone was in sheer shock.

Collins was the first to react. Like Mark, he was more concerned about the effects of the death.

"Oh Jesus. How is Roger going to deal with this? There's nothing we can do to help him."

He spoke from experience of losing a lover in the hardest way. Collins moved away as memories of Angel flooded back.

Maureen began to cry, and then to sob and gush.

"No! She can't be dying! She was doing better! She was! No! No. No."

Maureen broke out into complete sobs and buried her face in Joanne's shoulder.

Joanne put an arm around Maureen-as well as she could anyway while she was still in utter shock.

No one had expected this. No one. They sat in silence once again, this time for hours, too shocked, too afraid to move.

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Okay, so it's not a happy fic. But hey, nobody says it has to be. And I'm sorry again if this is short. But short can be good. Just look at Kristen Chenoweth! Whoops! Wrong show! REVIEW PLEASE!!!!!!


	3. Fear Itself

THE LONG AWAITED UPDATES!!!

Yes, it took me long enough. I am regretful of my misuse of good time, but I am making up for it now!

The major problem was that I have a bunch of chapters in a notebook-written out by hand. I never got around to typing the stuff. And THEN, my computer decided to not like me.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. I don't even own emotion. I rent.

Here is CHAPTER 3

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Roger ran to his room where Mimi had been lying for the past two months, save doctor visits.

"Mimi?! Are you alright?" hyperventilated Roger.

The poor girl was practically hacking up a lung with her coughing. One of her various symptoms. She was only getting worse and anybody with sense could see. It was only false hope to think that she could recover, especially with full blown AIDS.

"Yes." She squeezed out in between coughs, "I'm alright."

"Do you need anything?"

"No. It's okay."

Her hunger had left her.

"Do you want me to stay?"

"That would be nice," she grinned to him.

Roger tucked himself underneath the layers of quilts, blankets, and sheets to lie beside Mimi. He reached out to her face. She had lost a lot of weight, which she had never needed to lose. Her cheek bones protruded as her eyes that he had once sung about seemed to fall back into her head. He still thought she was the most beautiful girl in the world.

"Hey Roger?"

"Yeah?"

"What is death like?"

"Are you scared?"

"No. Well, a little. I just wish…I knew what to expect."

"Not a whole lot can really tell you."

They both squeezed out smiles.

"Well, Mimi, what's your favorite moment in your life?"

"When we both walked out of the Life Café. It was the day we met; Christmas Eve."

Roger couldn't help but grin. It was his favorite moment too.

"Well, you go to heaven, and relive that moment over and over again."

"Who says I'll even go to heaven?"

"I do."

"No offense, but you're not God."

"I know," Roger laughed, "But I'll pray and put in a good word for you. You deserve heaven. God can see that. He can see it right now."

"That doesn't sound too bad."

"And then, one day I'll join you. And we will be together for all time."

"I love you Roger."

"I love you too Mimi."

As Mimi began to drift to sleep again, Roger silently cried.

Why did she want to talk about death again? She wasn't going to die. Fuck the doctor. She would not die while he took care of her.

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So…REVIEW. I will post more chapters if I get AT LEAST 4 more reviews! 


	4. The Call

Welcome to chapter 4! Thanks for the reviews dudes! Kudos to you!

To Stella Italia: Yes I did see Candide! I watched it on PBS's Great Performances. I TIVO-ed it, and watched it this week. It was SO FUNNY. Somewhat crude, but very FUNNY!

Disclaimer: I don't own the Rent characters. But isn't everything a form of plagiarism since its using existing words? Philosophy from Daria.

CHAPTER 4

-BRRRING! BRRRING!-

"The phone is not a good alarm clock."

Collins got out of his bed, tripped over the sheets, and then answered the phone.

"Damn sheets."

"Hello?'

"Collins?"

"Hey Mark. You don't sound too good. What's up?"

"Well, that's because Mimi died."

"What?"

The words wouldn't register.

"Collins? I need someone else here at the loft too. Roger's having a breakdown. I don't blame him. He was lying right next to her."

"What do you mean?"

"He woke up next to Mimi. A not breathing Mimi."

"Oh Jesus. Sure. Whatever you need. And I'll call up Maureen and Joanne for you if you haven't already."

"No, I haven't. Thanks Collins."

-CLICK-

I know that was very short, but I thought it was appropriate. And it just didn't feel right meshed together with another chapter. I'll be kind and try to put up chapter five soon. BUT ONLY WITH4 MOREREVIEWS.


	5. Different Voices, Different Feelings

Here is beloved chapter five. This was difficult to write. Not in the sense of creating it. In the sense of thinking about death and losing someone. I kept bringing up memories. But I finished it. I also got a complete visual for this chapter. You know how they are all lined up for seasons of love? Well, that's how I saw them. No hype. No gloss. Nothing more. Just them. And so everyone knows, this was not meant to be too long of a fic. Hence short chapters. And so everyone knows...MARK DOES HAVE A HEART!

Disclaimer: I'm being unoriginal and using other people's characters! Happy now! please don't sue me.

P.S. I divided this up into POV

Joanne:

I can't believe she's gone. Mimi. Bright, light-up-an-entire-fucking-room Mimi. I normally would try not to curse, but this is too much. I guess I'm just in denial, but not as bad as Maureen.

Maureen:

She can't be dead! No! This is all some crazy, sick-minded joke. Ha ha! Not so funny guys! Now come out with Mimi. Wonderful, cheery, someone-who-actually-understands-me Mimi. This isn't happening. My friends aren't going to die off one by one. Seriously, this joke isn't funny. Come back with Mimi!

Collins:

Oh God. How is Roger going to deal with this? It was hard enough when he lost April, but now…now we might have big problems. One loss is hard enough, and I know too, but a second? I'm not sure Roger can cope with that, with this. I'd better hurry.

Mark:

After all this, after everything. Mimi's dead. She's really dead. After losing her and winning her back, Roger has lost her again. After meeting her, taking her to the Life, losing her to Benny, having her almost die, and now…She's really gone after everything. I should check Roger again.

Roger:

I-I woke up next to Mimi's body. She was cold as ice. She just laid there lifeless. Like a life size porcelain doll. She's dead and it's my fault. I should have taken better care of her. I can't take this pain. I don't deserve to stay. I can't take this!

Acknowledge that you read the chapter; REVIEW! Perhaps then I shall release chapter six instead of the winged monkeys! (whoops! Wrong show!)


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